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Horror and the supernatural, as it was before the apocalypse, was still one of the more popular forms of entertainment- it was life imitating art. The same circle of Councils continued funding the Hollywood sleight of hand, fueling it... Now of course, the "bad guys" were invariably patriotic individuals fighting the new regime, but painted with the broad brush of criminality. As it was in the Nazi propaganda films of the 1930's stalkers and murderers were lurking behind every corner awaiting unsuspecting victims. The only thing that changed was the face of the victims- they were the regime supporters being victimized by the holdovers of the old nationalism. And the propaganda techniques weren't the only things adopted from a despotic regime that millions died to defeat...
A myriad of cults and religions had also emerged worldwide, as they tend to do during times of distress... People looking for answers wherever they can find them. A renewed interest in Satanism and the occult were also gaining momentum. Christianity, as could be expected, was banned- blamed for the cataclysm, although Beck and the others responsible could hardly be called Christians. Like patriots, Christians were also hunted and executed. It was open season on anything and anyone that questioned the authority of the new regime.
Islam, Eastern Mysticism, Buddhism- all had taken on many new followers. Mysticism, often linked to the occult, was particularly popular- especially with the New Hollywood elites. Theosophism was becoming one of the more popular of the occultist religions, combining the mysticism of the East with Neoplatonism immersed in New Age philosophy. Each region of the world seemed to be reaching back into the annals of history and before looking for occult archetypes to follow.
As it had been in Nazi Germany, the State had also taken on a religious dimension. The curriculum taught in the State schools was developed by the UN Ministry of Education and was mandatory, it goes without saying... Within a generation or two, if all went according to plan, Statism would become the dominant religion. The prescribed religions incorporated a heavy dose of statist principles into their teachings producing an amalgam that emulated the old Nazi occultism. Although the UN itself preached religious freedom and tolerance- Christianity excluded because of its "violent nature and radicalism" of course- any semblance to tolerance was a mere illusion... The State reigned supreme.
President Oliveira gave a nightly "State of the World" address presenting a rosy picture of a world in harmony. Set against a backdrop of serene elegance, it had the air of a religious service- complete with an audience of adoring worshippers. Cloaked in the rhetoric of peace was the ever-present iron fist in the velvet glove- the threat, albeit subtle was nonetheless there.
Throughout the world Christians gathered in secret. Gone were the Joel Osteens and Benny Hinns, along with the rest of their ilk... they had all sold out to the State. Gone too was the Vatican with its cult-like atmosphere and elaborate surroundings. Catholicism had gone back to its pre-Council of Nicea roots. Christianity had become a catchword for patriotism- they were virtually one in the same. It was a religion steeped in pragmatism- "a spiritual man is a practical man," a wise man once said. The new Christianity was more than practical- no more turning the other cheek... It was two eyes for every eye. This was a war... a spiritual war for the soul of the world- this was the bona fide war of good against evil... it was freedom vs tyranny... a future founded either on individualism and liberty or a totalitarian, collectivist nightmare. The word worship had taken on a new dimension... it now meant action rather than submission. The supernatural element of Christianity was gone- replaced by a stoic pragmatism. Those who desired supernatural deities flocked to the mystics.
Chancellor Behrmann vowed to eradicate the threat of these radical fundamentalist criminals, promising that justice would be swift and complete. This not only strengthened the resolve of patriots worldwide, it added immensely to their numbers. Individuals who had been acquiescent or ambivalent before were now resolute in their efforts to end the oppression. The tactics of the new regime were winning them very few supporters.
As a part of Oliveira's nightly address was Behrmann's report on the war against radicalism, featuring videos of mass executions to dissuade any potential patriots... people shot by firing squads. Although they were allegedly radical extremists, they were generally unwitting dupes collected from Third World countries, guilty of nothing more than falling for the promise of a better life. Squads of UN soldiers would offer employment opportunities in developed countries helping to rebuild the cities... instead of prosperity, most received a bullet.
In keeping with the elitist dream, the pseudoscience of Eugenics had been resurrected- although far less subtly... It was now the law. The one child per family program begun in China had been adopted worldwide. Abortions and sterilizations were mandatory. Infants born with disabilities were killed immediately after birth. The elites, of course, were exempted from the new laws... to maintain an illusion of parity, average people could apply for exemptions- but if they couldn't prove a substantial income, they were rarely granted. Instead of racial purity, the new Eugenics program was economically and politically engendered... gone were any pretenses of equality, or mobility, to obtain an exemption, you must first prove obeisance to the regime. The rhetoric, noble sounding as always, was based on the writings of Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood. Instead of being called "human weeds" as they were in Sanger's screeds, the less fortunate were given the more socially acceptable title of "those financially unable to provide a lifestyle conducive to sustainable prosperity." Planned Parenthood itself had been adopted into the myriad of institutions associated with the World Health Organization, elevated to governmental agency status.
Throughout the entire world, people hid their children from the regime. In what was left of the urban areas this proved difficult, but in the rural areas multi-child families began to proliferate... nowhere more so than in the US. A new generation of patriots was being born at a rate that would have astonished the population control proponents of the 20th Century. The US, in fact, was quickly becoming a hotbed of anti-government activity- a fact not unnoticed by the regime. The State schools were mandatory- strictly enforced in the urban areas, but in the hinterland many hid their children away and educated at home or in small groups.
Urban areas destroyed by the war and in the process of being rebuilt were the hunting ground of vicious street gangs. it was a testament to the resilience of the human spirit that many had begun the enormous task of rebuilding upon the ruins. In these "enterprise zones" UN troops patrolled 24 hours a day, shooting gang members on sight... the gangs, naturally shot back. This was one of many fronts upon which the war had not ended. Once a culture becomes urbanized, it becomes a difficult habit to break. Many city dwellers moved to smaller cities that had, for the most part, been unaffected by the devastation. This caused their populations to swell beyond capacity, fueling a building boom- not to mention elevated crime rates. Cities that had once been relatively safe were now learning the hard way what the larger cities had known for centuries... exacerbated by the constant unwelcome presence of the Blue Helmets.
The smarter among the city dwellers had made a fairly successful transition to rural life. Although employment may be scarce, safety and relative freedom were a advantageous tradeoff. It was difficult enough for the UN to police the new urban areas- policing the hinterland was practically impossible... accomplished mostly by helicopter. When the soldiers ventured outside the safer urban compounds, they found their blue helmets inviting targets for rural marksmen. Chancellor Behrmann called Defense Minister Duke Wade on the carpet, telling him to get his former countrymen under control- no matter what it took... Or else!
The UN had adopted the Russian Hind MI-24 and Ka-52 helicopters plus an amalgam of American Blackhawk, Apache and Cobra gunships. Troops were ferried around in Chinooks. Although faster and allowing for better mobility, this presented an entirely new set of problems. Many armories had been looted by patriots just after the war and before the troops had arrived. Also, to make matters worse, the New Oathkeepers were channeling arms and ammunition- including Stinger 2 and Redeye surface to air shoulder-fired missiles- to the militias. Similarly, workers at many aircraft and helicopter assembly plants were actively sabotaging the aircraft... many exploded on ignition and had to be thoroughly inspected before flying costing valuable minutes, if not longer.
The UN may have claimed victory, but the war was far from over... "No peace without freedom" was the credo of patriots around the world.
